Staff Picks

Julia Buckwalter is our Frontlist Adult Books Buyer, always on the lookout for new and “we have to have it” books emerging in the world. She was bitten by the book bug very early; her mom worked in bookstores almost all of her life, so Julia would leave school for the store until her mom finished work, sneaking cookie dough in her pocket from the cafe’s freezer to munch on while reading Roald Dahl. She’s a trained oil painter who studied in colleges on both coasts after growing up in Utah, returning to Moab in 2012. She loves to read across genres, but mostly fiction and memoir, likening her favorite books to moods and memories. Some of her favorite reading memories: “Wind Sand and Stars” by St. Exupery on bike riding breaks along the Colorado river, “The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante on a deck chair with a paloma one hot summer evening, a tattered Little Free Library copy of “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway one weekend in Manhattan, a Summer in college spent reading “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry on the campus lawn by day and soda jerking at Baby’s Diner by night. Julia spends her time away from the bookstore trail running, looking through the latest cookbooks for something she and her boyfriend will enjoy, painting landscapes and clouds, and watching reruns of Gilmore Girls (usually in that order).

Hailing from Virginia, Collee is the sidelines and gifts buyer at Back of Beyond Books. She loves to read fiction, cook, hike and take in those unforgettable desert vistas. As a cat lover (and cat mom), she strives to bring as much cat content as she can to the store to share with our beloved patrons.

Ash was born and raised in Utah, spending a lot of their childhood scrambling among the red rocks, observing wildlife, and enjoying community gatherings. Ash enjoys any genre they can crack open and adores all forms of art. Being both a consumer and a creator their whole life, they love to not only learn new methods but share theirs as well. They have spent their whole life surrounded by animals and love to greet customers’ pets from behind the register when they’re able to. They were very interested in STEM throughout their education and still value learning in their everyday life. Ash enjoys one on one interactions with customers and finds they learn the most interesting things from other people simply looking to share stories. 

Amber grew up on a quaint, forested island off the eastern North Carolina coast. Her adventurous spirit has taken her to the arid landscapes of Moab, where she loves camping by the Colorado River and wandering through sagebrush while diving into transformative literature that resonates with her own journey. As a social media creator and assistant event coordinator at Back of Beyond Books, she thrives on blending creativity, enjoyment, and purpose in her work.

Sophie arrived in the desert in the winter of 2016, and needing a break from her National Park Service job applied to the bookstore. She’s been working here ever since! Books on regional history and archaeology, science fiction and cooking are her jam. She loves rambling around the desert, identifying plants and finding archaeological sites. She has a kitty named Chicken Little (one of the cutest cats in town).